It is a pasta filata (‘stretched curd’) cheese, in which the fresh curd matures in its own whey for several hours to allow the acidity to develop through the conversion of lactose to lactic acid.

Artisanal cheese makers generally form the cheese into a round shape, then tie a string around the mass one-third of the distance from the top, and hang it to dry.

[1] The term may come from the Italian phrases capa mozza or testa mozzata, both meaning 'severed head'.

Strictly speaking, scamorza is a product of Apulia and Calabria regions.

Mario Batali cites grilled scamorza as a traditional dish in Neapolitan cooking.